Carpenter&#39;s scribing gauge



Sept. 28 1926. 1,601,138

D. Moons CARIENTERS SCRIBING GAUGE Filed March e. 192e 2 'sheets-sheet 1ATTORNEYS WTNESSES .I

Sept., 528, 1926. 1,601,138

D. MOORE GARPENTERS SCRIBING GAUGE- Filed March 6, 1926 2 Sheets-Shea?I2 lNvENToR gnb/700,75

gllNE-SSES K ATTORNEYS i j ples.v

Patented Sept. 28, 1926.

terna DAVID MOORE, OF SOUTHVLANCASTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

' t onErENrEns scarnrive GAUGE.

f Application med March e, i926.v serial No. 92,919.

. This invention relates to improvements in measuring instrumenta beingyadapted particularly for use in carpentry, and it consists of thelconstructions, combinationsA and arrangements herein described andclaimed. yAn object of the invention is to provide a socalled .scribinggauge which consists mainly of anextensible body carrying scribingplates and protractor heads at the ends for :numerous .uses incarpentry, among which cutting stair threadafitting shelves andbaseboards, etc. may be cited as exam- Other objects and advantageswillap'pear in thefollowing specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing7 in which f Figure 1 isl a Yscribin'g gauge.

VFigurev2is a side elevation.Y y Figure 3 is a detailsection of one endof the gauge' taken substantially "on the line 3-3 of Figure 1. 5

Figure 4, is a detailxcross section of one plan view ofthe improved ofthe clamps taken on the'/ line 1 4 of Fig- 'A ure 2, Y

Figure 'i's a detailplan tensible end of the gauge, y

Figure 6 is a .detail cross section on the line 6 6 of Figure 5, "y fFigure 7 is a detail plan view of one vof the paper covers for thescribing plate,

viewl of the ex- Figures 8 and 9 are detail plan lviews illustrating themethod of employing the paper coversin producing' and copying a profile.

l'n carrying out the invention provision is madeL of a main body 1which, because of the fact that it is preferably composed of relativelymovablebars 2 and 3, is herein known as the extensible body. These barscarry loops 4 and 5 which embrace the complemental bar as shown inFigure 2 thereby serving to guide the' bars as they are slid relativelyto each other when making adjustments of the gauge between points. Aclamp 6 fixes the adjustment of the extensible body. This clamp issimilar to the clamps 7 ,I referred to later, buthas the distinction ofserving the solel purpose of holding the bars of the bodyv together.clamp includes a plate 8' upon which the thumb screw 9 bears. The platehas end luUs 10 which ride in slots 11 forl guidance. titiated at theextremities of the rextensid bla body are protracter' headsl2 'theupstandiug portion 25 is borne lsupport a pair of studs The Theseinclude cross bars 14 which have lugs 15 by which pivots 16 are mounted.The pivot 16 in the case of the protractor 13, is carried by anextensible end 17 (Fig. 5) which `is slidable upon the plate 18 of theadjacent clamp 7. .The plate'19 of the other clamp 7 is different. Theplate 18 has bent edges "2O (Fig. 6) `in whichthe flanges 21 of theextensible end 17 ride. i

A slot 22 Vin the clamp plate 18 receives the screw 23 of the clamp nut24. The extensible end 17 has an upstanding portion 25 l through whichthe screw 23 extends. The extremity of the upstanding portion terminatesin a pointer 26 which is spaced from the surface of the end 17 asulcient distance to receive the protractor 13. The calibrations of theprotractor can be read in reference to the pointer, and upon turningdown upon thenutg21l lthe pointer end vof on the' protractorhead,therebyr clampingit in the desired adjustedposition. Y i In respect tothe protractor 12 the extensible end'feature', :described'in connectionwith the protractor 13, is omitted. The clamp plate 19 has an upstandingportion 27 terminating-ina pointer28, thescrew 29 passing through in themanner already described and carrying a nut .30 by means of which the`adjustments of the protractor 12 are fixed. l

Each-of ythe scribing plates 31 has a sufliciently wide flange 32 along'the edge opposite to the numbered calibrations showmto 33 upon whichnuts 34 are screwed. the scribing plates in firmly fixed positions uponthe crossr bars 14, but either or both pairs *ofA nuts may be loosenedsufliciently to rpermit the insertion of a paper cover 35 (Fig. 7)Abeneath that part of the cross bars 'falling to that side of the studswithin the scribingl plates. In other words, the paper covers l35k arethesame in size as the scribing plates, and are. intended to be clampedin placeupon the plates for a purpose such as'illu'strated in oneinstance in Figures 3 and 9L The paper covers 35 have notches 36 toVreceive the screw studs 33. Y

Tt'jhas been stated that the clamps 7 are identical with the clamp 6.The exception vbe noted that the clam s 7 have clamp plates'18jand 19whereas tie clamp 6 has not. Slots 37 in the sides of the clamps 7receive the lugs 33 efv small plates 39 upon `down up- These nutsordinarily hold which thumb screws 4() bears. ot the clamps 7 is topermit removal of the extensible body 1. A single bar may be employed,or if the relatively movable bars 2 and 3 are not suiiiciently long to,permit a desired adjustment of the gauge they may be replaced by longerbars which in that instance will be inserted in the clamps 7.

j The operation is readily understood. Although the drawing illustratesthe use of a pair ot relatively movable bars 2 and 3 as the main body otthe gauge, it should be understood that in some instances it ispreterable to use but a single bar, and in that connection the use otthe clamps 7 has already been described. The double bar ar-r rangementhas the advantage of permitting numerous adjustments of the gauge, andin practice it u'ill be optional with the ,carpenter ivhether one or theother of the two arrangements is employed. I M,

The uses of the gauge in lcarpentry are so numerous that it Would beditlicult to name all ot'. them. One or two examples ivill be suticient.Say that a number ot vshelves are to be i'itted in a closet. The gaugeis placed in the position tobe occupied by the shelves and extendeduntil the scribing plates 31 touch the ivalls at the longitudinalextremities of the space. The gauge is then removed and laid upon vapile of boards (assuming that a number ot shelves-,are to be cut.) theupper one of whichis marked oit' across the edges of the scribingplates.

It may be that one end Wall is not parallel with the other; In suchcasey one or the other ot the clamp nuts can be loosened and therespective scribing plate 31 adjusted upon the ypivot 16 until it titsHush against said Wall. The same mode of operation applies when fittingbaseboards in closets and small rooms, cutting stair treads, etc. Thegauge is also adapted to fitting box or Window casings, and in suchevent the scribing plates 31 arel removed from the cross bars 14 oi theprotractors 12. and 13. The cross bars will then serve the same:tunetion in respect to iitting the ivindoiv casing as did the scribingplates 31 in the other uses mentioned. l

a A further and important use is illustrated in Figures 8 and 9 whereinthe paper cover 35 is involved. Reference is made toFigures 8 and 9. Thecarpenter may find it necessary to tit a board against a curved surfacesuch as illustrated at Lt1. A paper cover is clamped upon one of thescribing plates, and the gauge is adjusted until the scribing plate isbrought to the curved surface in about the relationship shown. Thedividers 42 are iixed in about the position shown, one leg being runalong the curved surface while the other traces a line upon the papercover. 7 L.

It is intended that the paper cover shall be The purpose ot suiiicientlyheavy material to permit considerable pressure to be brought upon thescribing point of the dividers, thereby mal:- iiig a line sutlicientlydeep to be retraced when the gauge is transferred to the board B inFigure 9. Having transferred the gauge the carpenter traces thepreviously inscribed line with'on'e leg ot the divider While the otherleg is made to trace a line upon the end ot the board. Upon care'l'ullycutting the board along the traced line the carpenter ivill have aprofile which is the exact duplicate ot the curve 111. In some instancesit maybe ioimd well to cut the paper cover along the line inscribedthereon, but whether or not this is done is optional with the carpenter.On the foregoing principle the paper cover may be employed to cnablelitting boards up to almost any hind of irregular surface, audit isimmaterial Whether the lines of such surface he straight or curved.

lVhile the construction and arrangement ot the improved carpentensscribing gauge is Vthat of a generally preferred form, ob-

viously modilications and changes may be made ivithout departing fromthe spirit of the invention or the scope o't the claims.

I claim 1. A gauge comprising a main body, plates having clamps by meansof which they are affixed to the extremities ot the body, a protractorhead having a cross bar and lug through which pivotal support is hadupon each of thefclamp` plates, scribing plates having studs insel-tablethrough said cross bars and nuts upon said studs for clamping thescribing plates in position upon the cross bars of said protractor head.

2. A gauge comprising a main body, a protractor head having a cross bartor cach end of the main body, clamping means by ivhich theprotractorkheads are applied to the extremities of the main body.` saidclamping means comprising a plate upon which one ot the protractor headsis pivotally mounted at the cross bar theree t, and an extensible endupon which the other protractor head is pivotally mounted at the crossbar thereof, said extensible end being adjustably carried by a clampplate ot the associated clamping means; a scribing plate 'for eachprotractor head, and means to remorably clamp the scribing plates to thecross bars of saidheads.

3. A gauge comprising a main body` protractor heads for the ends otthevbody, clamping means by which the protractor heads are attached tothe extremities ot the body, lsaid means including plates, means bywhich the protractor heads are pivotally mounted upon the respectiveplates, upstanding portions formed from said plates 'terminating inpointers being in spaced relationship to the plates thereby providing allt) space in which theprotractor head can move,

and means associated With the plates and' lupon 'the protractor headsWhen the latter are adjusted upon their pivots.

A. A gauge comprising a main body, protractorI heads for theends of thebody, means for clamping theprotractor heads upon the extremities of thebody, said means including plates, means pivotally mounting theproti'actor heads upon the plates permitting turning of the heads, anupstanding portion stamped from each plate terminating Vin a pointer inspaced relationship to the respective plates and providing a space inwhich the protractor can move, a screw carried by the plate and passingthrough the respective pointer at one side of the .protractor head,y anda nut upon each screw permitting clamping down upon the pointer therebyto hold the respective protractor heads in the position to which it hasbeen adjusted upon its pivot.

5. A gauge comprising a main body, a protractor head for each end of thebody, clamping means by which the protractor heads are secured to theextremities of the body, sai-d means including` plates, cross barsincluded in said protractor heads having lugs which are pivotallymounted upon said pla-tes, scribing plates atta/hable to the heads alongone edge, screw studs carried Y by said flanges passing through openingsin the cross bars of the nuts upon said screws for clamping the scribingplates in position against the cross ars. 6. A gauge comprising a mainbody, scribing plates mounted upon the extremities of the body, a ceverlfor each scribing plate permitting the inscription thereon of anirregular surface to be fitted, and means to clamp said cover inrespective scribing plates.

' DAVID MOORE.

protractor hea-ds, and

position upon the Y

